Explain Atom Economy with Suitable Example, Definition, Green Chemistry and Importance of Atom Economy

Atom economy definition

In chemistry, the term "atom economy" refers to the efficiency of a chemical reaction in terms of the utilization of atoms. It is a measure of the extent to which all of the atoms in the reactants are incorporated into the final product, rather than being produced as waste.

For example, consider the following reaction:

2 C + 2 H2O → CH4 + CO2

In this reaction, the atom economy is 50%, since only half of the atoms present in the reactants (C and H2O) are incorporated into the product (CH4). The other half of the atoms (C and O) are produced as waste in the form of CO2.

Atom economy is an important consideration in the design of chemical syntheses, as it can impact the sustainability and cost of a process. Chemists strive to maximize atom economy in order to minimize waste and reduce the environmental impact of chemical reactions.

Define atom economy in green chemistry!

Atom economy is a concept in green chemistry that refers to a reaction in which the majority of the reactants are converted into products with minimal waste. It is a measure of how efficiently the atoms of the starting materials are used in a reaction. A reaction with a high atom economy uses most of the starting materials in the formation of products, while a reaction with a low atom economy produces a lot of waste.

Explain atom economy with suitable example

Atom economy is a measure of the efficiency of a chemical reaction, defined as the proportion of atoms in the starting materials that are incorporated into the desired product. It is expressed as a percentage and is calculated by dividing the number of atoms in the desired product by the total number of atoms in the starting materials and multiplying by 100%.

For example, consider the reaction of acetylene (C2H2) with hydrogen chloride (HCl) to produce vinyl chloride (C2H3Cl). The desired product is vinyl chloride, which has a molecular formula of C2H3Cl. The starting materials are acetylene (C2H2) and hydrogen chloride (HCl). The total number of atoms in the starting materials is 2 carbon atoms + 2 hydrogen atoms + 1 chlorine atom = 5 atoms. The total number of atoms in the desired product is 2 carbon atoms + 3 hydrogen atoms + 1 chlorine atom = 6 atoms. The atom economy of this reaction is calculated as follows:

(6 atoms in the desired product) / (5 atoms in the starting materials) * 100% = 120%

This reaction has an atom economy of 120%, meaning that 120% of the atoms in the starting materials are incorporated into the desired product. A high atom economy indicates that a large proportion of the starting materials are converted into the desired product, which is generally considered to be more efficient and environmentally friendly than a reaction with a low atom economy.

Here are three examples of reactions with different atom economies:

1. Synthesis of ethanol from ethene:

Ethene (C2H4) can be converted into ethanol (C2H5OH) through the following reaction:

C2H4 + H2O → C2H5OH

The desired product is ethanol, which has a molecular formula of C2H5OH. The starting materials are ethene (C2H4) and water (H2O). The total number of atoms in the starting materials is 2 carbon atoms + 4 hydrogen atoms + 1 oxygen atom = 7 atoms. The total number of atoms in the desired product is 2 carbon atoms + 5 hydrogen atoms + 1 oxygen atom + 1 hydrogen atom = 9 atoms. The atom economy of this reaction is calculated as follows:

(9 atoms in the desired product) / (7 atoms in the starting materials) * 100% = 128.57%

This reaction has an atom economy of 128.57%, meaning that 128.57% of the atoms in the starting materials are incorporated into the desired product.

2. Synthesis of methanol from carbon monoxide and hydrogen:

Carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2) can be converted into methanol (CH3OH) through the following reaction:

CO + 2H2 → CH3OH

The desired product is methanol, which has a molecular formula of CH3OH. The starting materials are carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2). The total number of atoms in the starting materials is 1 carbon atom + 1 oxygen atom + 2 hydrogen atoms = 4 atoms. The total number of atoms in the desired product is 1 carbon atom + 3 hydrogen atoms + 1 oxygen atom + 1 hydrogen atom = 6 atoms. The atom economy of this reaction is calculated as follows:

(6 atoms in the desired product) / (4 atoms in the starting materials) * 100% = 150%

This reaction has an atom economy of 150%, meaning that 150% of the atoms in the starting materials are incorporated into the desired product.

3. Synthesis of propane from ethene:

Ethene (C2H4) can be converted into propane (C3H8) through the following reaction:

C2H4 + H2 → C3H8

The desired product is propane, which has a molecular formula of C3H8. The starting materials are ethene (C2H4) and hydrogen (H2). The total number of atoms in the starting materials is 2 carbon atoms + 4 hydrogen atoms + 2 hydrogen atoms = 8 atoms. The total number of atoms in the desired product is 3 carbon atoms + 8 hydrogen atoms = 11 atoms. The atom economy of this reaction is calculated as follows:

(11 atoms in the desired product) / (8 atoms in the starting materials) * 100% = 137.5%

This reaction has an atom economy of 137.5%, meaning that 137.5% of the atoms in the starting materials are incorporated into the desired product.

Importance of atom economy

Atom economy is important for several reasons:

1. Sustainability: Maximizing atom economy helps to reduce waste and minimize the environmental impact of chemical reactions. This is particularly important in the context of developing more sustainable and eco-friendly chemical processes.
2. Cost: Higher atom economy can lead to more efficient and cost-effective chemical syntheses, as it can reduce the amount of raw materials and waste products that need to be produced and disposed of.
3. Yield: Higher atom economy can result in higher yields of the desired product, which can be beneficial from a practical and economic standpoint.
4. Efficiency: Maximizing atom economy can help to make chemical syntheses more efficient by reducing the number of steps and intermediates required to synthesize a given compound. This can save time and resources and make the synthesis more practical and scalable.
5. Overall, optimizing atom economy is an important goal in the design of chemical reactions and syntheses, as it can help to make these processes more sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient.

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